Syrian Rebels Seize Another Coastal Village, Nearing Latakia

Fresh off of yesterday’s capture of a Christian town along the Turkish border, Syrian rebels continue their push in the coastal Latakia Province, seizing the village of Samra and moving ever closer to Latakia itself.

On the one hand, the rebels are particularly keen to capture the village of Qardaha as a PR victory, since the village is the home of President Bashar Assad’s family.

That may be a minor prize, in practice, compared to taking Latakia itself, which is a major port and is also where trucks are sending the remnants of Syria’s chemical arsenal for shipment abroad and disincoporation.

The loss of Latakia would be a major blow to the disarmament program, and would almost certain mean a prolonged delay as Syria, already struggling to get trucks into Latakia as it is, would have to find another route to the sea.